Even as audiences are enjoying the productions currently onstage, CTC is working with playwrights across the country and around the world to create brand new plays that will premiere on our stages in upcoming seasons. A major developer of new plays for young audiences, CTC has commissioned and produced over 35 new plays in the last 15 years. How do we do it? We search the globe for playwrights whose work thrills and excites us. We hire them to write an original play or to adapt a classic story or contemporary children’s book. We hold readings and workshops to test the plays and, finally, we produce them in the beautiful, adventurous style that CTC is known for!

Plays developed and premiered at CTC include: A Year with Frog and Toad, Cinderella, Esperanza Rising, Robin Hood , Buccaneers!, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, Iqbal, Iron Ring and The Biggest Little House in the Forest.
Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting new play development at Children’s Theatre Company.

Children's Theatre Company is proud to participate in Samuel French Playwright's Welcome Program. Dramatists Guild members can present their membership card at the ticket office starting 2 hours prior to any public performance and receive one complimentary ticket. (subject to availability) For questions or to check on availability please contact the ticket office at 612.874.0400.

Plays in Development:

The Abominables: The Minnesota Hockey Musical Book by Steve CossonMusic and Lyrics by Michael FriedmanA production partnership between CTC and The Civilians

Rink Rats and Hockey Moms, pond hockey, tournament weekends and the quest to play your best—welcome to the high stakes world of youth hockey in America. It’s tryouts for the Bantam Boys’ Hockey A Team. Mitch has always played on the A Team—these are his guys—they’ve played together forever. But nothing in this world comes with a guarantee--he’s worried this could be the year he gets sent down to the B team. Sure, Mitch has an expensive new hockey stick, his love of the game and over-bearing parental obsession on his side, but will that be enough—will anything ever be enough??!?--to secure his spot on the ice?

The Fre By Taylor MacDirected by Niegel Smith

Pristine (or perhaps just prissy) Hero longs to escape to a cleaner, more elevated world where people read books and understand Voltaire. But first, he must cross the Mud Pit—the hang-out of Frankie, a Dude-like guy who just likes to relax- and The Fre—Frankie’s posse of thoroughly modern American pre-teens. When Hero slips and falls, Frankie rescues him and decides not to let him go. Will Hero insist on leaving or discover that it’s better to change the world you’re in than to try to escape it? Performance Artist Taylor Mac’s theatrical extravaganza for teen audiences is an exploration of Radical Empathy and a celebration of getting down and dirty.

CorduroyBased on the book by Don FreemanAdapted by Barry Kornhauser

Discovering a missing button on his overalls, a curious little bear goes in search of a new one. His tender, comic adventures eventually lead him into the arms of a little girl eager to give him a real home.

Snow White Adapted and Directed by Greg Banks

The classic fairy tale gets writer/director Greg Banks' highly theatrical, physically lively spin as two actors simultaneously bring to life and call into question the story of Snow White, the Evil Queen and the seven dwarves who offer her sanctuary.

The Wild ChildBy Madeleine George

Inspired by Francois Truffaut's classic film and reset in the raw landscape of a Midwestern prairie, George's compassionate, poetic exploration of the havoc wreaked on the lives of a naturalist and his young daughter when they take in a child who has grown up beyond the reaches of civilization.

The Houdini BoxBased on the novel by Brian SelznickMusic by Dan Moses SchreierBook/Lyrics by Brian SelznickCo-Commissioned with La Jolla Playhouse

Based on the book by acclaimed author/illustrator Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Marvels), this is the story of a young boy who yearns to meet his hero--the great magician, Harry Houdini.

The Arrival Based on the graphic novel by Shaun TanConceived and Created by Peter C. Brosius and Jocelyn ClarkeMusic by Judd Greenstein

Shaun Tan’s lauded graphic novel is the inspiration for this potent, poetic exploration of the immigrant experience. Told entirely through movement, music and visual projections, the story follows a man who leaves his family to build a new life for them in a new world.

Last Stop on Market StreetBased on the book by Matt de la PenaBook by Cheryl L WestMusic and lyrics by Lamont Dozier and Paris Dozier

While visiting his grandmother for the weekend, CJ learns to see the beauty in a bustling urban neighborhood and the fun that can be had if you open yourself up to the world and the people around you.

The Best Summer Ever!By Kevin KlingMusic by Victor Zupanc

It’s summertime in Minnesota! Head up North! Stay up late! Ride your bike, swim in the lake, build a fort, eat ice cream until you’re ready to burst! Who cares if there’s mosquitoes in the outhouse, your dad burns the burgers, the girl you have a crush on won’t give you the time of day and you’re not sure you’ll ever make it off the end of the high dive? Even when things go wrong, if it’s summer in Minnesota, it’s gonna be the best summer ever! Storyteller Kevin Kling brings his whacky, whimsical, totally hometown style to a new musical sure to charm Minnesotans young and old.

Fancy DancerBy Larissa Fasthorse

Can a girl like Lara, born on the Rosebud Reservation and growing up in Pierre, South Dakota ever succeed in the cutthroat world of professional ballet?
Based on the life experiences of playwright and professional ballerina, Larissa Fasthorse, this extraordinary story will strike a chord with anyone who has dreamed an impossible dream and found the will to achieve it.

Bina’s Six ApplesBy Lloyd Suh

Based on the memories of Suh’s father, this play will tell the story of a South Korean family forced to flee when their country is invaded from the North. The youngest child is tasked with a very special mission—to carry in her backpack six apples—all that will remain from her family’s thriving orchards—as the family leave their home to seek safety and begin their journey as refugees.

Hormel Strike ProjectBy Philip Dawkins

For more than a year in the 1980s, in the town of Austin, Minnesota, workers at the Hormel meat-packing plant went on strike—taking a stand for higher wages and better working conditions. Through research and interviews, Philip will explore the effect this historic Labor battle had on the kids and families of Austin. Supported by the Doris Duke Foundation’s Resident Playwright Program

Untitled by Carlos Murillo

A contemporary story about a first generation Mexican family struggling to hold on to the American Dream.

Find Us

Connect

Privacy Policy

Thank you for reviewing the privacy policy and disclaimer.

Children’s Theatre Company (“CTC”) is committed to providing a safe online experience. We collect no personally identifying information, unless you choose to provide us with that information. This statement of Privacy applies to the CTC website and governs data collection and usage. By using the CTC website, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.

COLLECTION OF PERSON INFORMATION
If you visit our site to browse, read, watch videos or download, we automatically collect and store only the following information about you:

The IP address from which you access our Web site (an IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.)

The type of browser and operating system used to access our site

The date and time you access our site

The pages you visit

and The Internet address of the Web site from which you accessed our site

This information is used to improve the functionality of the website—to learn about the number of visitors to our site and the types of technology our visitors use. We do not track or record information about individuals and their visits. We may compile and report aggregate statistics about our users — numbers, traffic patterns, and related site information — but these statistics will include no personally identifying information. CTC is not responsible for privacy statements or other content on websites outside of CTC, including those linked from CTC’s website.

USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

If you identify yourself by submitting mailing list, donor or ticket request forms contained in the site, we use that information only to respond to your message and to help us provide you with the material you have requested or to send you a written acknowledgment of your donation as required by law, or to verify and/or mail purchases and/or to process your ticket order.

You have the option to contact us by phone or by email (web@childrenstheatre.org) to request that we remove your name from our mailing and/or calling and/or trade list. If you opt to be taken off our mailing list, you will receive no mail from us, including publications or special notices. If you opt to be removed from our calling list, you will receive no calls from us except when a performance is canceled. We will not sell, trade or share a donor’s personal information with anyone else, nor send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations. If you are not a donor and you opt to be removed from our trade list, we will not provide your name to other arts organizations that might be making special offers or anyone else.

USE OF COOKIES

CTC’s website uses "cookies" to help you personalize your online experience. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a web page server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.

The purpose of a cookie is to tell the web server that you have returned to a specific page. We and our advertising partners, including advertising networks, use information gathered through cookies and other similar technologies, as well as other information we or they may have, to help tailor the ads you see on our sites and to help make decisions about the ads you see on other sites. To opt-out of targeted adversity from many ad networks visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies. Please be aware that some web pages may not work correctly if cookies are disabled. More information is available here: http://www.aboutcookies.org.

CREDIT CARD SUBMISSION

All credit card transactions including ticket purchases and donations is processed on a secure server. Credit card information is protected by encryption technology, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol. This helps to assure information is protected from unauthorized access.

CHANGES TO STATEMENT

CTC may occasionally update our Statement of Privacy to reflect customer feedback or changing technologies. CTC encourages you to review this statement periodically.

CONTACT

CTC welcomes comments and questions about or Statement of Privacy. If you believe CTC has not adheared to this statement, please contact us at web@childrenstheatre.org.

DISCLAIMER

Under no circumstances shall CTC, its employees or contractors be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive or consequential damages that may result in any way from your use or inability to use the information provided on this or any other web site supported or maintained by CTC or from your reliance on or use of information, services or merchandise provided on or through the web site or that result from mistakes, errors, omissions, interruptions, defects, deletion of files, delays in operation or transmission or any failure of performance. If you are dissatisfied with the information provided on this web site, or with any of the practices of the CTC in the operation of this web site, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using the web site.